Company History

The History Of Picwood USA

What is a Cottage Industry?

“Specifically defined, a cottage industry business is a creation of products and services that are home-based rather than being manufactured in a factory. When the idea of the cottage industry initially emerged in the late 16th century, most manufacturers produced textiles based services such as sewing, lack-making or household manufacturing. Today, cottage industries encompass areas such as baking, crafting and innovating.

The appeal of buying from a cottage industry manufacturer is that the consumer can receive a unique, one-of-a-kind, hand-made product that isn’t mass produced. Many consumers also appreciate the human-aspect to home-based created products and services and feel that the majority of these cottage industry services produce a higher quality product than one that is mass produced.” (Copied from wahm.com)

2015:

Here at PICWOOD USA, L.L.C is owned by Tom Dockham, second-generation artisans. A published Regional, Nationally, and Internationally Award Winning Photographer and he’s been known to be an expert at telling stories in his pictures. His style is simple, establishing a connection with his subjects which allows him to capture the true essence of nature and wildlife elegantly for rare and intimate wildlife portraits. A Cartoonist by trade and now a maker of custom made wood furniture.

Tom is also legally blind and a Service Disabled Veteran with a Leader Dog, a Service Animal which gives him the mobility to move about freely and independently. He has “Tunnel Vision” (if you look through a roll of paper towels you can roughly see what he can). Tom’s major charitable cause is the Southwest Michigan Make A Wish, and Leader Dogs for the Blind.

In 2015 Tom set a goal, a Mission. Made it simple: to provide the best products and service to our customers at the lowest prices possible. Tom takes great pride in Picwood USA, the commitment to customer service and in the product he sells. Picwood USA’s online store is designed to provide you with a safe and secure environment to browse these cottage industry products.

2016:

Tom took over full-time in the garage making outdoor living products and forgoing the cartooning and photography side of the business. He created selling avenues with local vendors to sell Picwood USA products in their stores and then created an ETSY and AMAZON stores, plus adding an online e-commerce store to take orders online from the general customers.

2017:

Felt like a short year, with sales booming, as Picwood USA refined their line of products and seen another year of growth. With adding a handful of new vendors to help sell our products.

2018:

In 2018, Picwood USA seen significant growth as Picwood USA added numerous vendors (Now called Dealers) to work with selling Picwood USA Outdoor Living Products.

In 2018, Picwood USA also made strides with adding WAYFAIR, AMAZON Business, and have been in talks with Home Depot and Walmart.

Picwood USA sold off the "AMAZON" Store to George Thomas Home Decor and the vested interest in George Thomas. So Picwood USA could work closer with retail giants like Wayfair, Walmart, and Home Depot in the Manufacturing arena.

In this year we also have seen Picwood USA start another division called Kalamazoo Adirondack Chair Company that sells only to Dealers and moves to Manufacturing, similar to the concept like Ford, or Chevy (GM) using "Dealers" to sell our Outdoor Living Products.

The transition of selling and terminating non performance Dealers in Picwood USA was completed in early March of 2019. With the addition of the Wayfair group, Picwood USA moves more into the "General" product line main stream of items rather than just the basic Adirondack Chair.